Lifting handles for use by nurserymen



April 21, 1970 F. A. BEATTIE LIFTING HANDLES FOR USE BY NURSERYMEN Filed March 11, 1968 F|G.4 FIG. 3 inn l2 H kl'ifT'? INVENTOR FRANK A. BEATTIE United States Patent US. Cl. 29416 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention consists of two spaced and normally parallel lifting bars that are adapted to have their center portions fit around the tub of a large tree or shrub that is to be lifted by two nurserymen and moved from one place to another. Each end of each lifting bar is provided with a handle while the two aforesaid lifting bar is provided with a handle while the two aforesaid lifting bars are adjustably connected together by means of a cross-bar that is secured to the underside of each lifting bar by a vertically disposed bolt and nut. One end of the cross-bar has a plurality of spaced openings therein so that the distance between the lifting bars may be varied according to the diameter of the tub to be lifted and moved. Each lifting bar is provided with a plurality of vertically disposed pointed pins in that portion thereof on which will rest the horizontally disposed flange of the aforesaid tub.

This invention relates to agriculture in the broadest sense; more particularly, to that branch of agriculture that deals with the handling of trees by nurserymen.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a lifting arrangement of lifting handles for use by nurserymen and landscrapers that permits two men to readily lift and carry large trees and shrubs when planted temporarily in tub containers 16 and up to .24 inches in diameter.

Another object of this invention is to provide lifting handles for use by nurserymen that can easily be adjusted to any diameter of tub within a predetermined range.

Still another object of this invention is to provide lifting handles for use by nurserymen that are not only light in weight but are so designed that they will not slip from the tub which is being lifted, and thus will not allow injury to the nurserymen nor damage to the tub and its tree or shrub.

Other and further objects and advantages of this invention will appear as the reading of this specification proceeds and the accompanying drawing is examined.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top view of this invention, ready for lifting a tub which is shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 2 is a side view of this invention, ready for lifting a tub which is shown in phantom lines.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of this invention, taken substantially along line 33 of FIGURE 2, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a portion of this invention, taken substantially along line 44 of FIGURE 1, and viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

In the several views of the drawing of this invention, like parts are indicated by like reference numbers.

The reference number 5 indicates this invention in its entirety.

Looking first at FIGURE 1 of the accompanying drawing, it will be seen that this invention 5 consists of two spaced and parallel lifting bars 6 and 7 which are preferably made of hard wood. However, the material can be light weight metal or the like. Each lifting bar 6 and 7 is square in cross-section, as one can see by looking at FIGURE 3 and FIGURE 4 of the drawing. Each bar has its outer end terminating in a handle 8 that is round in cross-section. The center portion of each bar is provided with two spaced thickened portions 9 that are separated by a concaved portion 10 that has the same radius as that of the outside of a typical tub in which large trees and shrubs are placed for movement from one place to another.

Looking again at the drawing, and particularly at FIGURE 3, it will be seen that the upper surface of the aforesaid concaved portion 10 of this invention is provided with a plurality of equally spaced and upwardly projecting pointed pins 11 that are adapted to stick into the underside of the horizontally disposed flange 12 of the tub 13, thereby providing an efficient means of preventing the tub and its contents from slipping radially once the'tub has been picked up by its aforesaid handles 8. A cross-bar 14 has one end swingably secured to the underside of the aforesaid lifting bar 7 by means of the nut and bolt 15, while the other end of the cross-bar 14 is adjustably secured to the underside of the aforesaid cross-bar 6 by means of the nut and bolt 16 which can be placed through any desired one of the spaced openings 17 that are located in the often-mentioned cross-bar 14, thereby providing a means for decreasing or increasing the distance between the two lifting bars 6 and 7.

The way in which this invention of lifting handles is used by two nurserymen for lifting large trees and shrubs in tubs is so obviously clear that after examining FIGURES 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing, no written explanation is thought necessary.

What I now claim as new is:

1. Lifting handles for use by nurserymen to lift a tub having a substantially horizontal flange, comprising two lifting bars, each end of each bar terminating in a handle, each bar having a centrally located concaved portion that faces the concaved portion on the other bar when the invention is assembled, a cross-bar that has one end swingably secured to one of the said lifting bars, means for swingably securing the other end of the crossbar to the other lifting bar and for adjusting the length of the cross-bar, the said cross-bar being located between one of the handles and one end of the curved portion of each of the said lifting bars.

2. The invention of claim 6, wherein each of the said lifting bars is provided with a plurality of spaced vertically disposed pointed pins in the periphery of the said concaved portion thereof, the said pointed pins being adapted to support the underside of the horizontally disposed flange of the said tub when the said tub is being lifted and moved from one place to another.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which the ends of each curved portion terminates in a thickened portion.

4. The combination of claim 1 in which the handles are round in cross-section and extend axially of the lifting bars.

5. The combination of claim 1 in which the first mentioned swingable connection is a bolt or the like extending through the lifting bar and the cross-bar and the means comprises a plurality of spaced openings in the other end of the cross-bar, an opening in the other lifting bar and a bolt or the like extending through selected openings.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 188,027 3/1877 Oak 29416 311,478 2/ 1 885 Flansburgh 294-16 664,623 12/ 1900 Buckland 294-16 2,749,173 6/1956 Peterson 294-16 X EVON C. BLUNK, Primary Examiner D. WATTS, Assistant Examiner 

